The Federalist Papers were written and published in New York newspapers in 1787-1788 in order to sway public opinion to approve and ratify the newly devised United States Constitution. The essays were written by three prominent members of the founding generation – Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
I consider these essays a user’s guide for the Constitution and they deserve at least a perfunctory understanding. Short of reading the debates from the constitutional convention and the state ratification debates, the Federalist Papers provide some of the best insights into the United States Constitution.
In this final episode, I cover a host of topics including the Judicial branch, States Rights, taxation, the military, and a brief look at the Necessary and Proper and Supremacy clauses of the Constitution.
This is the third in a three-part podcast series on the Federalist Papers.
One of the more obvious conclusions one draws from a study of the Federalist Papers is how far we have slid from the founders’ prescription of a limited federal government. At the end of this episode, I provide a laundry list of laws, public policy, constitutional amendments, and federal agencies that undermine the Constitution.
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- The Truth About the Anti-Federalists - January 9, 2020
- The Truth About the Federalist Papers: Conclusions - July 11, 2019
- The Truth About the Federalist Papers: The Legislative and Executive Branches - June 27, 2019